Date: 2020-11-07

The Kwara State Government says it will not rest on its oars in maintaining the state's polio-free status.

Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq stated this today at the flag-off ceremony of the November Sub-National Immunization Plus Days Campaign at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Oke-Ogun in Ilorin.

The Governor who was represented by his Deputy Mr Kayode Alabi, said his administration would continue to ensure routine immunisation and meet the standard requirement for quality polio campaign.

Mallam AbdulRazaq said the state’s Polio-free status had been as a result of its administration's proactive ownership and funding of the immunisation programs. 'Our administration started with the fulfilment of the popular "Abuja commitment" which is a compact in which all the Governors in the Federal Republic of Nigeria signed up to pledging their commitments to support polio eradication and routine immunisation in Nigeria.’ the Governor said.

Governor AbdulRazaq therefore implored all mothers, caregivers, schools, religious and community leaders to make available all children between the ages of zero to five years for the next round of the National immunization plus days beginning from 7th to 10th of this month across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Nusirat Elelu highlighted the significant contributions of the government of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq which she said, have moved the state from the league of non performing states to a state worthy of emulation across the nation.

Dr. Elelu who recalled that the last Wild Polio Virus which was recorded in the state in the year 2009 was followed by a sudden recurrent outbreak of the disease between 2018 to 2019 as a result of weak routine immunization stressing that the present government had since strengthened the immunization program.

In their separate goodwill messages, Commissioner for Health and representative of the first lady of Kwara State, the chairman house committee on health and environment, Commissioner for Communications, the Emir of Shonga and other development partners, commended the government and urged parents to take advantage of the opportunity when the immunization begins for the benefit of their children.

Awards of honour were presented to The Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Deputy Governor and Chairman, Kwara State Taskforce on Immunization and Primary Health Care, Mr Kayode Alabi, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Agency, Dr Faizal Shuaib, HRH Emir of Shonga, Dr Haliru Yahyah, former Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Abimbola Folorunsho and other development partners.

Modupe Joel

Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor

November 6, 2020